1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally related to the removal of a closure from a container, and more particularly, to an article and method for disconnecting a closure from a container and outputting sound thereupon.
2. General Background and State of the Art
A closure such as a cork has been used in conjunction with a container such as a wine bottle to provide the benefit of an inert means for sealing the wine bottle. Natural cork has long been used for its original preferability, as well as its traditional appeal. However, wine spoilage as a result of tainting has been attributed to natural cork closures.
One of the appealing features of a natural cork stopper is the sound it makes as it is removed from an unopened bottle of wine. Another appealing feature of a natural cork stopper is the relative ease of removal, due to its inherent physical properties, when compared with the removal of similar stoppers made from synthetic material.
A corkscrew is a device that is used to uncork a bottle of wine, so as to remove the cork from the bottle. A basic corkscrew model consists of a metal spike in the shape of an open spiral (helix) connected to a handle. The user centers the point of the helix on the top of the cork and twists until the wire has become securely embedded in the body of the cork. Securing the bottle with one hand, the user then pulls on the handle until the cork has been released. The cork can then be removed from the corkscrew and examined or discarded.
Wine experts estimate that pulling a cork out of a bottle with a corkscrew requires the same force as lifting 100 pounds. For this reason, many mechanical improvements have been made to the traditional corkscrew design. Some provide more leverage for pulling out the cork, while others emphasize more torque during twisting.
Waiters who routinely open and pour corked wine bottles carry a lever corkscrew. The worm (the helix-shaped screw) is twisted into the cork as before, but the waiter uses a side-mounted lever to lift the cork out in one fluid motion. Further refinements led to a corkscrew with a double lever action. Two wings are mechanically drawn upwards by a gear as the worm drills into the cork. The user steadies the bottle on a table and presses down on both wings. The cork is pulled straight out by the central gear assembly. An even more recent corkscrew design uses both increased torque and a vertical lever to pull up on the cork.
Using a corkscrew properly can prevent some of the most common wine-opening hazards. An inferior corkscrew with a solid auger design instead of an open spiral can dig out too much cork, which could lead to contamination of the bottle. Drilling completely through the soft center of an older wine bottle may also lead to problems with cork pieces and damage the pulling. Those who are uncomfortable with using a traditional corkscrew may use a self-centering double lever system or a vertical lever corkscrew.
Screw top caps have been introduced to utilize their inert qualities in interfacing with aging beverages such as wine. Screw top caps for wine bottles have become increasingly popular for all types of wines. Wineries have begun to replace corked bottles with screw tops.
The reason for the shift from cork to metal screw caps is that an increased amount of wine is being contaminated by cork taint, leaving the wine tasting musty and dull. The culprit for this unpleasant phenomenon is trichloroanisole (TCA), a compound formed when chlorine used for bleaching reacts with mould already growing in the cork. Humans are very sensitive to the compound and can detect it even at weak dilutions. TCA can flourish in several areas of a bottling facility, such as drains and barrels, but corks pose the biggest problem. The problem of tainted corks is on the increase because cork manufacturers are finding it increasingly hard to find supplies of good quality cork to meet demand.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an article for enabling disconnecting of a closure from a container, such as disconnecting a screw cap from a wine bottle, and for outputting sound thereupon, such as the sound of a cork popping, or a user-recordable output.
Invention Summary
Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, by way of example, is directed to an article for enabling disconnection of a closure from a container, and the outputting of sound thereupon. The article includes a closure capture enabling element, for enabling capture of the closure, and a handle, connected to the closure captive enabling element, for enabling movement of the closure capture enabling element for capture, disconnection, and removal of the closure thereby relative to the container.
The article further includes a sound outputting circuit, for enabling sound to be outputted upon capture and movement of the closure in a direction for enabling disconnection of the closure from the container, and a sound outputting actuation enabling element, for enabling actuation of the sound outputting element.
These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example the features of the invention.